Hello Fall!

Last weekend was our last camping trip of the year.  Couldn't have planned a better weekend for it.  The weather cooled off a bit and we had a lovely time!

We discovered snapchat recently.  We can do this for hours...

Books in the bunk beds

This place we camped in Hot Springs was great!  Lots of room to scooter around, easy hiking, heated outdoor pool for the girls, and they even sell wine.  Holla!

Plus, it was close enough to drive into town and enjoy some Rolando's.  Not once...but twice. ;)

The outdoor patio conveniently has a stage for the girls to show off.

We love having an RV.  It has been amazing family time, and now the girls are so used to their beds in it...no problems napping or going to bed at night.

Mills practiced her skills - soldier, soldier down and back.

Syd did her usual and watched from the side.  She did get in a few times to show us starfish.  She's so talkative around us, but when others are around, she clams up.  There was a little boy in the pool that kept trying to play with her and she stayed silent.  Finally he turned to me and asked me why she wouldn't play with him. ;)  I have no idea, man...just a phase, I assume.

When we got home, we drove straight to pick up Millie Bear's glasses.  Cute cute!

Tuesday was donuts with grandparents before preschool.  Nana made a quick trip to eat a donut with Piddy.  In typical Piddy fashion, she remained silent and stared at her donut for the first 20 minutes.

More park time with the boys.  I'm amazed how well these two play together.  They make each other laugh so hard.  Look at Cayden touching her face when she's being silly. <3

The girls first sewing lesson.  Seriously thankful Nana moved here so I don't have to learn how to sew now. ;)  Just kidding.  I do want to learn, but she saved my booty on Mills halloween costume!

Interesting, Syd.  Four eyes.  Is this artwork you made for Millie? ;)

Syd's little handprint.  Grandparents, take note of the new rules.

baaaaaa

Ethyn turned 16 last week!!  Boy howdy, how is that possible?!  Love him so...

Fridays with Syd routine: drop Mills off, go to white gym, stop by walmart to pick out a lunchable, Little Gym with Tate and friends, home to watch Super Why and eat the lunchable.  I know lunchables are gross and not healthy, but now it has become a routine that she loves.  It's Friday.  Do I really care?  And Millie gets pizza at school every Friday, so Syd deserves something special, right?! She barely makes it 20 minutes before asking for her nap.

Last week was spirit week at Millie's school, which equals a bunch of nonsense dress-up days that parents despise.  I conveniently forgot about it until Friday, when it was come 'dressed as your favorite book character' day.  Therefore, Millie is dressed as Fancy Nancy here (and Syd is just posing).  I could've tried harder.  Next year, Mills...sorry.  She was happy with it though.

Library books are so fun!

Meow.

Pumpkin Patch x 3

Last week was full of pumpkin patch visits!  First, I helped wrangled Mrs. Kim's three year old class to a small on-site (thank goodness) pumpkin patch.  It was hard enough getting them all across the parking lot to a nearby field.  Cannot imagine taking them on a bus somewhere remote.  Three year olds cannot be trusted.  However, look at this sweet group of kiddos!  I absolutely adore this pic.  

They had a great time, especially in the corn "sand" box!

My Piddy is Mrs. Kim's sweet helper!  She's so good at school.  Proud of her.

I love these fb memories because I can remember taking these pictures.  Seems like yesterday.  Good thing I post a lot because I now get lots of memories. ;)

Next up was Millie's class trip to Farmland Adventures.  She was THRILLED to get to ride on a bus for the first time!!  These are her current two closest friends at school: Dylan and Lillian.

Feeding the cows tortillas.  Millie snuck a few for herself.  She can't help it.  Just like feeding the ducks in our back pond...it's always "one for you, one for me".

She loved feeding the goats and sheep.  This place is more of a farm than a pumpkin patch.  Lots to do, including a corn maze and pony rides and pig races!

Had a great day with my big girl; loved watching her interact with her classmates and teacher.

These fb memories never get old...so appropriate, since we were headed to meet C & B at the very same McGarrah Farms pumpkin patch!

Amanda brought her real camera and got some great shots of the besties dominating the place.

I want to blow this one up poster size.

The mule train is a favorite

Let the wild rumpus start!

Three very special pumpkin patch visits with my favorite little ladies!  Too bad daddy had to miss out on the fun, but we appreciate him working so hard for our family!

Currently

A couple of weeks ago, I went on a "work" trip for five days.  The longest I've been away from the girls.  It was too long.  But I did get some amazing BFF time with Midge!

And I also got some family time!!  Met sweet Eliot for the first time...

...and August too.  They are some handsome boys!  <3

Our little family business, minus quite a few actually.  So cool!

When I got back, the first thing we did was meet up with Cayden and Beckham who officially moved back from Brazil!!

Reunited...and they've been inseparable ever since.

Amazing how a mommy break can really refresh you.  I really enjoyed every moment of catching back up with my girls.  Syd has been picking out her outfits, and I think she does a pretty good job!  She prefers cardigans to jackets - FYI.

I even went to eat lunch with Mills one day.  However, now that she's made friends at school, she sort of ignores us. ;)

I loved this fb memory.  I remember that shirt got ruined at a restaurant when we let her have spaghetti.

Fall Break for Mills!  Fun chance to hang out with her friends she doesn't get to see much anymore (since they go to a different school).  Finley and Wells are the sweetest, and they also have younger siblings in Syd's Little Gym class.

More Fall Break fun with Elle!  Shopkins painting night

Proud of the end result :)

This weather has been unreal.  We've had so much park time....love it!  Also, Millie can climb to the top of the rock at Gilmore Park now - yay!

We play outside with the Cruik's almost every day, either at a park or they bring their scooters over.

Sometimes the ice cream truck even comes around!  We're all in shock that it's still hot this late in October.  No complaints though...we need as much outdoor time as possible before the cold comes.  Everyone's happier outside!

This was a realization moment for me.  I remember begging my mom to let me look at the toy aisles every time we would go to the store.  Now the girls do this.  I have to say, they are great about just looking and not asking to buy anything.  So far...

Fall Break means fitting in some appointments - it was Syd's first time at the eye dr (that she remembers), and she declared herself "very brave".  She did great and nothing to report, other than a small amount of astigmatism that she'll hopefully outgrow.  

Millie, on the other hand, has an astigmatism that keeps getting worse.  So Dr Petty said it was time for glasses to help train her eye to develop in a different way.  Millie picked out these fabulous turquoise and hot pink glasses, and they look great on her!  Hopefully, since she loves them so much, she'll be more likely to keep them on all the time.  The hard part about her glasses is that they aren't really for her eyesight, so she won't be able to see the value in keeping them on.  I'm sure someday they will be for poor eyesight though, with her parents history.

Flashback!

Piddy takes a different baby doll to school every day so that she has a nap time friend.

Millie's interesting drawing of a cow...with two udders and an extra set of t-rex arms. ;)

Syd is a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde lately.  One moment, she's the sweetest.  The next, she's hiding behind her backpack yelling "don't talk to me!".  She keeps it together at school, which is all that matters.  Right?!  Some days are so up and down with emotions, but dare I say, I think it's getting better the closer to 3.5 she gets.

Her coloring is really impressing us.  Look how she's trying to stay in the lines!

She can really rock some Halloween pajamas.  I love this pic of her.  She's still my sweet baby.